Carstens HOn3 Annual - Dispatcher's Report

Welcome to the HOn3 Annual Dispatcher's Report! Here you'll find announcements of all new model railroading products direct from the manufacturers. Please use the contact information supplied to learn more about these great new products.

HO Scale

Grimsby Station

MSRP: $189.00 (Catalog No. ITLA HO118)

ITLA Scale Models has introduced their HO scale Grimsby Station laser cut wood craftsman kit. Double "witches hat" roofed towers, "eyebrow" attic windows on the freight shed section, detailed wood planked platform make this station stand out. The model's footprint is 6" X 17". Modular wall components are designed to tab fit into the platform base, and laser cut rafters support roof panels with etched shingle detail. The kit includes full colour instructions with build photo CD, platform benches and wood pallets. Train order signal included. Customers can have their own customized station name signboards included at no extra cost. The kit is available from the website for $189 CDN plus S&H.

HOn3 D&RGW 30' Refrigerator Cars

MSRP: $55.95 (Catalog No. B340801 to B340808)

Blackstone Models is accepting advance reservations for its first release of HOn3 Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) 30' Refrigerator Cars. Blackstone Models will release the models in eight road numbers in late 2015. These ready-to-run models will be available with freshly shopped American Refrigerator Transit (ART) Yellow sides, and red roof and ends. They will be available in three D&RGW liveries including Flying Grande, Moffat Tunnel, and Royal Gorge Route. As with all Blackstone Models rolling stock, these reefers will be equipped with Kadee No. 714 couplers and free-rolling trucks. This release is based on the prototypes after they were rebuilt by the (D&RGW) in 1926, which included new Murphy roofs. The cars were originally built by American Car & Foundry in 1908 and numbered 32 to 81. Known as the "short" reefers, these 20-ton cars traversed the Colorado narrow gauge through the late 1950s. The estimated MSRP is $55.95. Authorized Blackstone Models hobby retailers are now taking advance reservations. Photo courtesy Colorado Railroad Museum.

Tsunami SoundCar Digital Sound Decoder

MSRP: $42.50 individual / 112.95 3-pack (Catalog No. 829100 / 829110)

SoundTraxx is now shipping its Tsunami SoundCar Digital Sound Decoder, the only 16-bit DCC decoder that replicates rolling stock sounds for N through G scales.
The SoundCar includes a variety of railcar-specific recordings, such as the clickety-clack, flange squeal, generator, brake cylinders, coupling and uncoupling, emergency brake valve, and glad hand release, as well as a selection of user-adjustable horns, bells and whistles for cab cars and cabooses. Additionally, the SoundCar has four Hyperlight™-equipped outputs for interior and exterior lights.
The SoundCar includes automated sound sequences and auto-adjusting features for prototypical operation, such a brake application sequence.
In addition to adding a new roster of sound effects to model trains, the SoundCar introduces an innovative approach to consisting cars. When activated, the Intelligent Consist™ mode enables trains to be added and removed from a consist by simply waving a magnet over the car. Just like a brakeman with a brake club, this action is synced with the sound effect of the car’s hand brakes being tied or untied.
To hear the SoundCar in action, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/SoundTraxxVideos.